581. Gospel of Luke - Chapter 9 - (#6) - Jesus Came to Save People From Their Sins - June 24, 2024

[00:00:06] and I'll be your host.

[00:00:42] Jesus name, amen. This is proper 24 beginning in verse 1. Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their heart, devises violence, and their lips talk of trouble making. Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.

[00:01:07] By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong. Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength. For by wise counsel you will wage your own war and in a multitude of counselors there is safety. Wisdom is too lofty for a fool.

[00:01:33] He does not open his mouth in the gate. He who plots to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

[00:01:54] Deliver those who are drawn toward death and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, surely we did not know this, does not he who waive a heart's considerate, he who keeps your soul, does he not know it,

[00:02:13] and will he not render to each man according to his deeds. My son, Iconi, because it is good, and the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul? If you have found it, there is a prospect,

[00:02:35] and your hope will not be cut off. Do not lie in weight, a wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, do not plunder his resting place. For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again. But the wicked shall fall by calamity.

[00:02:57] Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Lest the Lord see it, and it displays him, and he turn away his wrath from him. Do not fret because of evil doers, nor the endvious of the wicked.

[00:03:19] For there will be no prospects for the evil man, the lamp of the wicked will be put out. My son, fear the Lord and the King, do not associate with those given to change. For their calamity will rise subtly, and who knows the ruin those two can bring.

[00:03:43] These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to show partiality in judgment. He who says to the wicked, you are righteous. Him, the people will curse. Nations will appor him, but those who review the wicked will have delight and a good blessing

[00:04:06] will come upon them. He who gives a right answer kisses the lips. Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field. And afterward build your house. Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause for would you deceive with your lips?

[00:04:30] Do not say I will do to him just as he has done to me. I will render to the man, according to his work. I went by the field of the lazy man and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding

[00:04:48] and there it was all overgrown with thorns. Its surface was covered with nettles. Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well. I looked on it and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.

[00:05:11] So show your poverty come like a prowler and your need like an armed man. Friends today I'd like to take a closer look at verse 12 and proper 24 verse 12 says this. If you say surely we did not know this, does not he who weighs the hearts considerate?

[00:05:39] He who keeps your soul does he not know it and will he not render to each man, according to his deeds. Friends today we will take a closer look at that one verse prior to closing today. But what I'd like to do is begin the week

[00:05:59] by continuing our study in the gospel, according to Luke. And we have been in chapter 9 for about two weeks now and we are going to go over three particular things today and I have a lot of commentary that I personally want

[00:06:18] to bring out because there's some interesting facts that can go along with what we're going to be talking about today. But we are going to be beginning in verse 46 and my Bible entitled this, Who Is the Greatest?

[00:06:36] Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus perceiving the thought of their heart took a little child and set him by him and set them whoever receives this little child in my name receives me

[00:07:01] and whoever receives me receives him who sent me meaning God for he who is least among you will be great. Friends the first point that I would like to bring up today is whoever receives this little child in my name receives me.

[00:07:25] Now friends, I want to put this particular passage of scripture in context. Now we need to go back to Thursday's podcast and we closed Thursday's podcast with Jesus announcing that he is going to be betrayed to the hands of men.

[00:07:49] In other words, he is going to be put to death and the way he announced it meant it probably isn't going to be too long before this happens and we begin the next paragraph with the disciples arguing amongst themselves as to who is going to be the greatest.

[00:08:16] Now friends, if we go a little bit forward and we're going to be talking about this it's probably going to be another, I don't know maybe two months or two and a half months but near the end of Jesus' ministry we're going to find out

[00:08:32] that the disciples basically eventually left Jesus when he was arrested and they basically all scattered. They did not want to be caught because they did not want what happened to Jesus to happen to them. But we are not there at this point,

[00:08:52] at this point they are arguing amongst themselves who is going to be the greatest. So what does Jesus do? He confounds them. He finds a little child and he puts the little child and he puts someone as lap

[00:09:13] and he goes this is what the kingdom of God is about. If you guys are going to argue amongst yourselves I am going to bring a little child and put things in perspective and let's listen to what Jesus said again

[00:09:34] who ever receives this little child in my name receives me and whoever receives me receives him who sent me or God for he who is least among you will be great. Friends, I am reading out of the Nelson study Bible

[00:09:57] and I really would like to key in on the commentary for this verse. Jesus' point was that prominence is not measured by human standards of achievement but by one's relationship to God. And friends, that is such a key fact that many people overlook.

[00:10:26] Let me read it one more time. Jesus' point was that prominence is not measured by human standards of achievement but by one's relationship with God. Anyone related to God is great even the least of his disciples.

[00:10:50] So friends, I know some of you may not want to hear this but the most important goal of your life should be to have a vital, vibrant relationship with the living God and his son Jesus. Let's go to verse 49. Now John answered and said, master,

[00:11:17] we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we forbade him because he does not follow with us. But Jesus said to him, do not forbid him for he who is not against us is on our side. Now friends, what this passage of scripture,

[00:11:47] it's very short but I want to talk about this because I believe it is a very big problem in our country today and it probably happens throughout the world. But we're talking about sectarianism but I also believe we're talking about denominationalism.

[00:12:12] Think about the Baptists, think about the Catholics, think about the Methodists when you go to these churches if you are not in their inner circle. If you do not believe exactly the way that they believe, you may be looked upon as being on the other side.

[00:12:39] So what I'd like to do at this point, I want to read Psalm 133 and what did Jesus have to say about this? And Psalm 133 is a short Psalm. It only has three verses, it is entitled Blessed Unity of the people of God.

[00:13:03] Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious oil upon the head running down on the beard. The beard of Aaron running down on the edge of his garments.

[00:13:26] It is like the dew of Herman descending upon the mountains of Zion. For there, the Lord commanded the blessing life forever more. And friends, I would like to put away this denominationalism. I would like for people to gather together and understand that the most important decision in life

[00:13:56] is to receive and invite Jesus into your heart. And if you do that, whether you are a Baptist or a Catholic or a Lutheran, it doesn't matter the denomination that you are in, but you are a Christian. And we are to love our brothers and sisters

[00:14:25] regardless of the denomination they are in. Let's go to verse 51. Now it came to pass when the time had come for him to be received up that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem and set messengers before his face.

[00:14:50] And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans to prepare for him, but they did not receive him because his face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire

[00:15:15] to come down from heaven and consume them just as he lied to it? But he turned and reviewed them and said, You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives

[00:15:39] but to save them and they went to another village. So friends, my third point today is Jesus came to save people from their sins. And this is what I'm going to say. Friends, it doesn't matter what sin you are committing. It doesn't matter if you are committing adultery

[00:16:04] or if you are a thief or if you are a liar. It doesn't matter if you are robbing banks. A sin is a sin. There is no first second or third place in. A sin is a sin. Jesus came to forgive everyone of all of their sins.

[00:16:31] Friends, we don't need to compare our sins. We don't. And that's the point that Jesus is making here. Let's look at the commentary for verse 51. Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. This is the first indication that Jesus attention was turning toward His final suffering in Jerusalem.

[00:16:59] Now, keep in mind. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus had told that disciples for the second time that He was going to be given to man. He was going to be given up. He was going to be crucified. So He's preparing for this.

[00:17:15] The journey to Jerusalem was not direct. However, we find Jesus at Martha and Mary's house in Bethany. In chapter 17, we find Him in Samaria and Galilee. The journey to Jerusalem proceeded only according to God's design and in His timing. Keep in mind the words of Jesus.

[00:17:41] I do only what I see my father doing. I say only what I hear Him say. Jesus was nearing the destiny of His mission. That is His death. Luke's gospel uniquely emphasizes this journey to Jerusalem. Luke records much of Jesus' teaching and parables on this journey.

[00:18:12] As Jesus contrasted His way of suffering with the way of the Jewish religious leaders. Let's look at the commentary for verse 52. Samaritans were the descendants of Jews who had married Gentiles after the fall of the northern kingdom, Israel. The Samaritans eventually developed their own religious rights

[00:18:40] which they practiced on Mount Verizim instead of at the temple in Jerusalem. Though there was deep hostility between Jews and Samaritans Jesus ministered to both groups. And I really want to key in on that. Jesus ministered to both groups and friends. If Jesus ministered to both groups,

[00:19:08] we should minister to different types of people as well. This goes to chapter two of James that says do not show partiality. Do not favor one type of person over another.

[00:19:26] Friends, I am going to leave this for now and we will pick this back up on Wednesday's podcast. But before we close today, I'd like to go back to our proverb of the day, proverb 24 and look at verse 12. If you say surely, we did not know this.

[00:19:47] Does not he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul does he not know it and will he not render to each man according to his deeds. Now friends, listen to the commentary for verse 12. Jesus' words about eternal rewards, open and close the new testament.

[00:20:14] Yet Jesus' action on the cross will deliver those who believe in him from any condemnation. And that goes along with what I said earlier. It doesn't matter which type of sin you are committing. We all are sinners. Friends, this is my call to action today.

[00:20:43] What I'd like for you to do is just ponder this concept. Please do not compare yourself to fellow Christians. I do not want any of you doing what Jesus has disciples did. Don't compare yourself and say, I am better than him.

[00:21:07] I am doing this better than him or well, I need to catch up with him. He's doing this better than me. Friends, we each have our own individual walk with Christ. We are to stay in our lane. Stop worrying about what your other fellow Christians are doing.

[00:21:31] Keep your eye on the prize that God has given you. Keep your eye on the race that you are running and we each have an own particular race that we are running. Keep your eye on what God has told you to do.

[00:21:54] Friends, I will never end a podcast without giving anyone an opportunity to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior if there is anyone listening today and you've never taken that step. I invite you to say a simple prayer after me today.

[00:22:10] Father God, I recognize that I am a sinner and in need of a Savior. Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of all of my sins and yet I still need your help. I invite you to come into my heart.

[00:22:25] I ask that you lead me and guide me from this point forward in my life. I make you my Lord and Savior. Now, may the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord makes us say shine upon you and be gracious to you.

[00:22:43] The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Friends, tomorrow is testimony day. Please join me and a special guest as we further explore wisdom today.